Need Advice on Collision Repair

clarkldc · 10-21-2015, 08:03 PM

Hi Sunliners,
After we returned from a great 9000 mile trip to the Pacific Northwest, our neighbor hit our 2007 T2499 as it sat on the street awaiting post-trip cleanup and winterizing. The neighbor was driving a box truck and he scraped the left front side siding with the edge of his hydraulic lift gate. The siding is flattened with a 2" break in the siding, the front corner coping got ripped loose, and the lower front panel got dented from the impact. The trailer moved 4" on the tongue jack and broke the foot.

Any ideas on how to approach the repair? The shop where we took it for an estimate wants to just to put the coping back on and clean up the siding which will not make it look like it did before it was hit. We, of course, would like it to be repaired so that it doesn't show damage and is weather-proof. The patch job estimate is around $450 and at the other end of the spectrum, replacing the siding without restriping is estimated to be around $3000.

We will most likely be taking the trailer to another shop for an estimate.

Does anyone have any advice or experience with this sort of siding repair? Here are some pics.

Relie · 10-21-2015, 09:20 PM

If were me, I take it to a good rv center and have it repaired properly. That damage will most likely leak. Get it done right.

Janalee · 10-22-2015, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Relie

If were me, I take it to a good rv center and have it repaired properly. That damage will most likely leak. Get it done right.

I agree with Dave,..and I assume your neighbor has insurance. Camping season is done for this year so you won't miss it while repairs are done. Get it repaired entirely, graphics included,protect your value for future resale. And make sure it is kept dry in the meantime. Janalee

Wannabes · 10-22-2015, 09:36 AM

9000 miles across the country without incident and then right on your own street... that stinks! We have no experience with this type of repair so, like Dave, we'd take it to someone who knows what they're doing. That, of course, is easier said than done! We're blessed to have a RV repair shop right down the road where the guy (& his son) do a great job with almost any kind of repair so, if you want to come up here to PA...

we can treat you to some good microbrew.

henryj · 10-22-2015, 02:44 PM

Hi Larry,

Sorry to hear of your misfortune. Moving the trailer 4" sounds like more than just creasing the siding. Can you tell if any framing was moved/broken? Any tearing inside on wall panels? If insurance fixes it, they should certainly fix it right, but it will never look the same... different siding/no or different decal/different color even. If visible signs of damage remain, you will lose NADA value and I wonder if insurance will compensate you for that loss.

Henry

vcrt · 10-22-2015, 07:35 PM

Also sorry to hear of your misfortune. I recently completed my own repairs to our former camper, a 92 T-2470. The most difficult part was the siding and striping. I had taken it to a local RV dealer and they took a long time trying to find the siding. I never found out if they were able to locate the correct mesa pattern krystal kote siding, so I don't know if it can be found. We now have the same camper as you and I live in fear (not literally) of any damage to the siding and/or striping because of it's increasing rarity. I do hope there is some source for the siding, maybe a good RV repair shop would know of one. Please let us know if you find it. Anyone on this site who still owns a Sunline that is newer than about 1990 should know where to get it in the event of a mishap.
The striping is another concern because it was a Sunline only stripe used for 4 years at most. I know the King Family on this site did have some, I'm not sure if they still do.
Best wishes,
Rich

vcrt · 10-22-2015, 07:39 PM

One more thing, from your photos, the front, pebble textured siding may be able to be straightened without any noticeable imperfections because of the texture.
Rich

clarkldc · 10-24-2015, 12:43 PM

Thanks to everyone for the input. I have now taken the T2499 to another repair shop for an estimate. This shop can make its own siding panels, and felt that they could restripe it so that it would look good. I do not think that there was any structural damage to the wood. I am awaiting their estimate at this time.

Thanks again and I'll let you know how it all works out.